Butterfly Yellow

Lai, Thanhha. 2019. Butterfly Yellow . Narrated by Lulu Lanm et al. Audible Harper Audio. Audiobook.

PLOT SUMMARY

  

Hằng, a young Vietnamese girl, is determined to find a way to travel to America with her younger brother Linh. However, an unplanned event occurs and the siblings are separated in the airport where only her brother is sent to America. Hằng begins a distraught journey to find her brother. Six years later after experiencing the unimaginable in a war-torn country, she decides to travel to Texas as a refugee. Once in Texas she unexpectedly meets an 18 year old cowboy named LeeRoy. Hằng is delighted when she finds her long lost brother, but soon realizes her brother hardly remembers her or his life in Vietnam. Through courage and persistence she learns the English language, trying to decipher syllables and sounds so she can learn to communicate with her brother and win back his heart. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Butterfly Yellow in the unabridged audio was entertaining, but difficult to understand in some parts of the story. Hằng tries her best to learn English, but deciphers words phonetically which makes it harder to comprehend. It is only certain words that are pronounced in syllables and with a Vietnamese accent, therefore the rest of the audio is understandable. The voices are easily distinguished between the Hằng, the Vietnamese girl,  and LeeRoy, the Texan cowboy. The listening experience was lively, especially when LeeRoy speaks his mind. His character is silly, but determined to help Hằng. Some of the descriptions included in Hằng’s flashbacks are distressing to listen to because of the content. It is harrowing to know what people experience in war-torn countries.

REVIEW EXCERPTS


New York Times Book Review- “In this radiant pearl of a book, Lại shows that we human beings are singing the very same song: a song of grace and redemption, a song of courage, a song of hope.”


Kirkus Reviews (starred review)- “Every sentence is infused with warmth, and Lại shows readers that countless moments of grace exist even in the darkest times. Masterfully conjures grace, beauty, and humor out of the tragic wake of the Vietnam War.”

Booklist (starred review)- “Lại’s imagery awakens the senses. Most powerful is the deep throb of regret and the thinnest wisps of hopefulness that Lại conveys throughout. They touch the soul.”

Awards: 

Scott O’ Dell Award

AudioFile Earphones Award

CONNECTIONS

• This book reminds us about the hardships endured by countries at war and the importance of being empathetic to refugees.

Other related books:

• Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh

• What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper

Activity: Have students make a phonetic dictionary with the words that Hằng uses and decipher how she is pronouncing each one. 

Read upon Operation Babylift and write about the advantages and disadvantages of this program.

Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America

Longoria, Margarita. 2022.Living Beyond Borders: Growing up Mexican in America. Viking Books. New York, NY .ISBN 978-0593204986.

 

PLOT SUMMARY

Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America is a heartfelt collection of poems, stories, and essays written by a group of award- winning Mexican American authors as they depict their struggles, hardships, and glories of being raised in a Mexican American household. Some of these stories share their view of living in a Mexican American community where they are criticized and marginalized for not being considered Mexican or completely American either. Most of these stories come from a teenage point of view as they describe rich Mexican cultural values. The importance of family and friendships are explored in the book.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America is a relatable collection of books of Mexican American first generations. Cultural value is added when the book mentions important traditions such as a “quinceanera” and “una limpia de huevo”. Most of the teenagers in this book share the importance of value and the hard work most parents have to endure to give their children a better life. The inspiring stories deal with significant themes like the feeling of not belonging, a struggle to find themselves, racial discrimination, and dignity. Growing up in a border town on the southernmost tip of Texas, I found a deep connection to many of the storytellers. The rich use of vocabulary and Spanish words adds meaning to the book. 

REVIEWS

Booklist, starred review- "Superlative . . . A memorable collection."

School Library Journal, starred review -"Voices reach out from the pages of this anthology . . . It will make a lasting impression on all readers."

School Library Connection, starred review- - "This superb anthology of short stories, comics, and poems is fresh, funny, and full of authentic YA voices revealing what it means to be Mexican American . . . Not to be missed.

CONNECTIONS

• This book reminds us about how people view immigrants, especially those coming from Mexico. These Mexican Americans speak their truth in a world where they are criticized and isolated.

Other related books:

• We Are Not from Here  by Jenny Torres Sanchez

• The Journey of the Hummingbirds by Sue Zurita

Activity: Make a family tree that shows each student’s family ancestry. 

Share cultural celebrations in each family.

Make a pinata using video tutorials.

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Almost American Girl : An Illustrated Memoir

Ha, Robina. 2019. Almost American Girl. Balzer + Bray. New York, NY. ISBN‎ 978-0062685094

PLOT SUMMARY

Chuna is a young teen growing up in Seoul, Korea with her mom. As far as she remembers her dad has been out of her life, and her mom has worked fiercely to give her everything she can. However, one day they travel on vacation to Alabama. Chuna is unaware that it will be more than a week of family vacation, and is not prepared to stay in America indefinitely. Her mom surprises her with the news that she will be marrying a Korean man, and that she will be enrolled in school. She is devastated knowing she left behind her friends, her prized comic books, her food, and most importantly her culture. Being in America came with much difficulty, especially since she struggled with the English language and with making new friends. Chuna even decides to change her name to Robin to make it easier for Americans to pronounce and understand. Life at home was also filled with struggles with her new stepfamily. Chuna finds solace in her drawings and Korean comic books.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Almost American Girl : An Illustrated Memoir is a graphic novel that embraces important themes such as the importance of family, the American dream, and immigration. This memoir touches your heart as a young teenager shares her struggles in American society. Feeling isolated, she tries to learn the English language to no avail. Although she knows her mother has worked tirelessly to give her all she needs, she would rather return home to Korea to be with her friends, eat her favorite food, and understand the language. The colorful pictures in the novel depict the differences between America and Korea. The pictures change to a sepia tone when the author is having flashbacks of certain events in her life. She uses Korean words for certain favorite meals and compares it to greasy American food.

REVIEWS

Kirkus Reviews (starred review)- “This heartfelt memoir from an author who shares her honest, personal experiences. An insightful, moving coming-of-age tale.” 

School Library Journal (starred review)-"A poignant and unvarnished depiction of immigration—both the heartache and the rewards." 

Awards:

Harvey Award Nominee

CONNECTIONS

• The memoir reminds us about the struggles immigrants have to deal with when they move to a different country not only with the language, but also with the food, the customs, and the culture.

Other related books:

• Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

• Something Like Home  by Andrea Beatriz Arango

Activity: 

Students can choose to look up words in Korean.

Students can make a recipe book of common Korean dishes.

Students can create a short story using comic strips.